What Is Frieze Week And Why Does It Matter?

A work by Gabriele De Santis at last year's sculpture park. Photograph by Linda Nylind. Courtesy of Linda Nylind/Frieze

Frieze week: it has nothing to do with the weather getting colder. In fact it's the moment in London's art world calendar when everything hots up. The primary driver is the massive art fair Frieze London — one of the biggest of its kind anywhere — drawing international collectors from across the globe.

Because of this influx of influential people, the art world goes into overdrive, with several other fairs springing up across the city. Most commercial galleries are putting on a show with their signature artist(s), and some major gallery exhibitions are opening in Frieze week too.

What is Frieze?

Frieze London sees over 160 galleries and 1,000 artists set up in Regent's Park — an area where artworks regularly sell for millions. Frieze is now in its 13th year and displays purely contemporary art — that is, art by living artists.

For the last three years Frieze London has been accompanied by Frieze Masters, a sister fair specialising in older work — from ancient Roman artefacts right through to pieces made as recently as 1980. It's designed to showcase work that has stood the test of time, while Frieze London is all about the hottest new art being made today. If Frieze London is the bold attention seeker, Frieze Masters is the refined older sibling.

But be warned: neither art fair is cheap to get into. Tickets are £34 for Frieze London alone and £50 if you'd also like to visit Frieze Masters. If that sounds too dear, there's a free Sculpture Park outside, allowing you a taste. (To help navigate the sculptures we recommend the free Art Fund app.)

But if a few sculptures alone aren't enough to sate your appetite, there's plenty of cheaper goings-on:

Art fairs

Frieze's influence spreads far and wide; and if it isn't to your taste (or budget), other art fairs might be. These include African Art in 1:54, affordable emerging artists at The Other Art Fair and street art in Moniker Art Fair. Design fans can head to PAD and there are lots of editions on sale at Multiplied. If commercial art fairs aren't your bag, there's Sunday Art Fair and Sluice; both eschew the traditional art fair layout and are free to get into.